14° 



THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



with their curious lasso; but the animal is so heavy, and dashes 

 away with such speed when it feels the noose upon its shoulders, 

 that it will often snap a rope by which a powerful horse would be 

 safely held. The Indians prefer, therefore, to shoot the animal 

 with poisoned arrows, and entice it within range by imitating 

 its peculiar whistling call. The arrows which they use are very 



Malayan Tapir 



small, not much larger than an ordinary knitting-needle. But 

 the poison with which they are tipped is so deadl}', and acts so 

 rapidly when once it is introduced into the system, that the 

 wounded tapir is sure to fall down and die before it has travelled 

 very far. 



When a tapir is taken alive it is often domesticated, and 

 tame tapirs are said to be quite common in some of the villages 

 and towns of Guiana. After a time they appear to lose all desire 

 for a wild life, and are permitted to wander where they will. They 

 alter their habits, too, and take to feeding by day instead of by 



